EAG Family Mediation

Family Mediation Knutsford

A calmer path forward for your family

I'm Elizabeth, an accredited family mediator based in Cheshire. I work closely with families in Knutsford to help them reach agreements that last.

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Separation is never straightforward, and in a town like Knutsford — where community life is so tightly woven together, where children share classrooms and parents cross paths at Tatton Park or on King Street — the challenge of separating respectfully feels even more acute. I’m Elizabeth, and I set up EAG Family Mediation because I believe that separating couples deserve a better option than fighting things out in court. I provide family mediation services across Cheshire, including Knutsford, helping couples have the difficult conversations that need to happen — in a structured, safe, and impartial setting.

Why I Believe Mediation Is the Best First Step

Before I retrained as a family mediator, I spent years as a commercial litigation solicitor in the North West of England. I saw first-hand what happens when disputes go to court — the cost, the delay, the loss of control and the lasting damage to relationships that still need to function. That experience shaped how I approach my work today.

Family mediation is not a soft option or a compromise. It is a structured, professionally guided process that requires both parties to engage honestly and constructively.  When it works, the outcomes are far better than anything a court could impose. Couples leave mediation having made their own decisions, having been heard and having preserved at least the foundation of a working relationship for the years of co-parenting ahead.

For families in Knutsford, where property values are significant, where school choices matter enormously and where social circles often overlap, that matters more than most people realise until they are in the middle of it.

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What Family Mediation Actually Involves

Family mediation is a voluntary, confidential process in which I work with both parties — separately at first, then together — to help you reach agreements about the issues your separation has created. Those issues are usually one or both of the following:

Arrangements for children — where they will live, how they will spend time with both parents, how decisions about schooling, healthcare and holidays will be made. In Knutsford, with its strong school community, these conversations will often involve unique logistical complexities that parents are far better placed to resolve between themselves than a court is to impose from above.

Financial matters — the division of assets, the family home, savings, pensions and ongoing financial arrangements. Knutsford sits in one of the most sought-after areas of Cheshire and the financial stakes in a separation here are often considerable. Mediation allows both parties to negotiate with complete transparency, guided by someone experienced in facilitating those conversations. Where appropriate, other professionals such as financial advisors or lawyers can be invited into the mediation process to support that negotiation.

Mediation is future-focused. It is not about revisiting past grievances or establishing blame. My job is to help you both to look forward — to what your lives and your children’s will look like from here.

The Services I Offer in Knutsford

Every mediation is different and I tailor my approach to the needs of the individual family. Here is an overview of the services I provide — full details are on the Services page.

Information and Assessment Meeting (MIAM)

Every mediation begins with a Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting ( MIAM). This is a private, confidential conversation between you and me, usually held online, lasting around an hour. It is your opportunity to tell me about your situation in your own words, ask whatever questions you have, and understand whether mediation is likely to be the right path for your circumstances. Attending a MIAM is a requirement before making most applications to the Family Court relating to children or finances, so it is an important step regardless of whether you ultimately proceed with mediation.

Child and Parenting Mediation

This is the area of my work I feel most passionate about. When parents separate, children need both of them to keep working together — even when that feels impossibly hard. Child and parenting mediation focuses on helping you reach practical, workable agreements about your children’s lives: where they will live, how they will spend time with you both, how you will handle schooling decisions, holidays, special occasions and the day-to-day logistics of co-parenting.

I am also trained to work with specialists in Child Inclusive Mediation where it is appropriate so that children themselves — usually those aged ten and above — can have their perspective heard by a specially trained mediator. In my experience, this can make a significant difference to the durability and fairness of the agreements parents reach.

Financial Mediation

Financial mediation addresses the division of everything you have built together — property, savings, pensions, investments and any ongoing financial arrangements. Both parties are required to provide full financial disclosure, which I will review carefully to ensure that negotiations take place on a level, informed and transparent basis. In an area like Knutsford, where family homes regularly carry significant value, getting this right matters enormously and if appropriate or preferred, third party professionals such as financial advisors or lawyers can be invited into the mediation process to support you in that negotiation.

Joint Financial Statement

Where finances are being addressed, I prepare a Joint Financial Statement — a clear, structured document that combines both parties’ disclosed financial information and provides the foundation for productive negotiation.

Summary of Proposals

At the end of a successful mediation, I prepare a Summary of Proposals documenting the agreements reached. This is not legally binding in itself, but it can be converted into a legally binding consent order with an application to the court.

How the Process Works in Practice

People often come to me uncertain about what mediation actually looks like in practice. Here is how the process typically unfolds:

  1. You contact me — you do not need your ex-partner’s agreement to make an initial enquiry.
  2. I meet with each of you separately for a MIAM, usually online, lasting around 60 minutes.
  3. If mediation is suitable and both of you are willing to proceed, we agree a format for joint sessions — online or in person, together or in separate rooms if preferred.
  4. Joint sessions begin. Each typically lasts around 90 minutes. For child arrangements, two to three sessions will often suffice. Financial matters typically  require more.
  5. If finances are involved, both parties provide full financial documentation, from which I prepare a Joint Financial Statement.
  6. At the conclusion, I prepare a Summary of Proposals capturing what has been agreed.
  7. A solicitor can apply to the court on your behalf to convert this Summary into a legally binding consent order.

The process is flexible. I adapt the format to what works for the people involved. If meeting in the same room feels too difficult at first, we can work in separate rooms. If online sessions suit your schedule better than in-person, that works too.

About Elizabeth

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I qualified as a solicitor in 2001 and spent the early part of my career in commercial litigation at a large North West law firm. Mediation came into my professional life through the commercial cases I was involved in, and it was in that context that I saw how it so often produced better outcomes for people than protracted legal battles court proceedings — less adversarial, less expensive and far less damaging to ongoing relationships.

When I took a career break to raise my four sons,  I knew that when I returned to professional life, it would be to family mediation. The skills I built as a litigator — listening carefully, understanding both sides of a dispute, identifying what people actually need beneath what they say they want — translate directly into effective family mediation.

I am a member of the Family Mediators Association (FMA) and registered with the Family Mediation Council (FMC). Every mediation I conduct follows the FMC’s Code of Conduct and Code of Practice. I am also committed to continuing professional development, because family law and mediation practice continue to evolve. You can find out more on the About page.

Frequently Asked Questions About Family Mediation in Knutsford

How much does family mediation cost in Knutsford?
I discuss my fees at the Information and Assessment Meeting so there are no surprises. Whilst professional support will always involve cost, mediation is considerably less expensive than legal representation. A government-funded Family Mediation Voucher Scheme is also currently available offering £500 per couple for mediations where child arrangements are the primary issue. I can apply for this on your behalf.
Does my ex-partner have to agree before I contact you?
No. You can contact me at any point and I am happy to have an initial conversation with you before your ex-partner is involved at all. I can also talk to you on how best to raise the possibility of mediation with them which is sometimes a difficult conversation to navigate.
What if my ex-partner refuses to take part?
Mediation is a voluntary process and cannot be imposed on anyone. If your ex-partner declines to participate and you decide to make an application to court, I can provide the confirmation you will need that you have attended a MIAM –  a pre-requisite of most court applications relating to child arrangements or the separation of finances on divorce. Sometimes people are initially reluctant but come around once they understand what mediation actually involves . If you would like to discuss how to approach the conversation with your ex-partner, I am happy to help.
Can sessions take place online?
Yes, and many of my clients prefer it. Online sessions can be just as effective as in-person ones and they remove the logistical challenges that can make attending in person difficult — particularly for parents managing childcare or demanding work schedules. In-person sessions are also available if you would prefer that.
Is everything said in mediation kept confidential?
Mediation is a confidential process. In most circumstances, what is said during sessions cannot be referred to in any subsequent court proceedings. This is important because it means both parties can speak openly and honestly without fear that their words will be used against them later. There are some exceptions to that fundamental principle which I will discuss with the at your MIAM.
What if we can't reach a full agreement?
Partial agreements are still valuable. Even if mediation does not resolve every issue, narrowing the points of dispute before any court involvement reduces cost, time and conflict considerably. Sometimes what feels like a deadlock at the end of one session resolves itself when people have had time to reflect. If mediation genuinely cannot produce an agreement, both parties retain the right to pursue matters through the court.

Get in Touch

If you are based in Knutsford or the surrounding area and are thinking about whether mediation could help your situation, please get in touch. You do not need to have made any decisions yet — an initial conversation costs nothing and commits you to nothing. Please visit my Contact page or reach out directly:

I look forward to hearing from you.